Chapter 59: Oh No, I’ve Become a Quincy

Five reishi bows, arranged in a pentagram formation, fired simultaneously, their arrows streaking toward Yamabuki Haruto like guided missiles. These aren’t bows—they’re cannons! Haruto thought, weaving through the barrage with Shunpo, his movements a blur of speed.

Quincy and Shinigami fought differently. Shinigami burned their own reiryoku, while Quincy manipulated environmental reishi, their strength tied to its concentration. Martin Davis, the white-robed Quincy, had modest reiryoku—less than half of Haruto’s—but his reishi control made him dangerous.

“Shinigami!” Martin laughed wildly. “Recognize this formation? Too late to close the distance! Stand still and let me obliterate you!”

Haruto’s eyes narrowed, scanning for weaknesses. His reiryoku’s weak, but his reishi control is a problem. Fortunately, Martin lacked the monstrous Vollständig of later Quincy eras. Haruto could hold his own against arrows—for now.

Martin sneered, firing an arrow skyward. “Rain of Light!” The arrow split into countless smaller bolts, raining down in a wide-area assault.

Haruto raised a hand. “Bakudō #81: Dankū!” A translucent barrier deflected the scattered arrows, their individual power too weak to breach the Kidō.

“That’s your trick?” Haruto taunted, masking his focus. “Don’t make this too easy.”

Martin flicked dust from his robe, smirking. “Pathetic.” He raised his bow, loosing a piercing arrow.

Haruto feigned panic, retreating with exaggerated fear. The arrow struck, piercing his chest—or so it seemed. Martin’s smirk faltered as a blade slashed from behind, grazing his lower back. He used Hirenkyaku to dodge, but blood seeped from the wound.

“How…?” Martin gasped, clutching his injury. “I hit you!”

Haruto flicked blood from his Zanpakutō, grinning. “Utsusemi, courtesy of Shihōin Chihiro. Leaves an afterimage while I slip away.” The cicada-shedding technique, a Shihōin specialty, had let him evade the arrow, leaving only his tattered robe.

“Despicable!” Martin spat, staggering. “Using such tricks!”

“It’s kill or be killed,” Haruto retorted, advancing. “You call me despicable? Naive.” His spiritual pressure surged, crackling with lightning. He was testing me earlier, playing weak. Now he’s injured—time to press.

Martin stumbled back, using Hirenkyaku to flee. Haruto’s Shunpo outpaced him, landing him in Martin’s path. “Our Shunpo isn’t faster than a Hollow’s Sonido or your Hirenkyaku?” Haruto sneered. “I’ll cut your limbs, make you a husk, and drag you to Seireitei for interrogation.”

Martin’s face twitched as the five reishi bows reappeared, firing in unison. Haruto flashed into the air, slashing the arrows to pieces in one stroke. He reappeared before Martin, driving his blade into the Quincy’s thigh.

“Struggle more!” Haruto mocked. “The more you fight, the happier I am. I’m counting on you for my half-month’s salary!”

In desperation, Martin raised his bow, firing a weak, wobbling arrow. Haruto grabbed it, intending to crush it—but the arrow disintegrated, its reishi flowing into his body.

“What the—?!” Haruto stared at his hand, stunned.

Martin’s eyes widened. “How can you manipulate reishi?!”

“I’d like to know that!” Haruto snapped. He’d noticed his body absorbing trace reishi since arriving in the Human World, chalking it up to a unique trait. But absorbing a Quincy’s attack was new.

A bold idea struck. “Martin, how do you Quincy control reishi? How do you form that bow?” Haruto demanded.

“I’ll never tell!” Martin spat. “Kill me!”

“Kill you?” Haruto’s blade darted, slicing shallow cuts across Martin’s hand. With a flick, he peeled back a strip of skin—a technique mimicked from Yanagi Junrei. “Let’s try again.”

Martin gritted his teeth. “Hack me to pieces—I won’t talk!”

“I like a challenge,” Haruto grinned. He used Kaido to heal Martin’s hand, then peeled the skin again, each cut precise and agonizing. “Demon from the Bible, huh? Tell me how you control reishi, or this gets worse.”

Martin’s resolve cracked. “Fine… I’ll show you once. Watch!” He extended his trembling hand, reishi coalescing into a bow. “See it?”

Haruto leaned in, eyes sharp, as Martin’s demonstration ended abruptly.

“Holy crap!” Martin gasped, realizing his mistake.